Provisioning

By Linda

As we get closer to untying the lines to head south, we have to start thinking provisions.  We will have limited access to supplies once we get to the Bahamas.  Also, we know that everything in the Bahamas costs much more than here in the US.  Anytime you are shopping on an island, the things you buy will cost more.  Supply and demand at its utmost.  So, provisioning with what we can before we go helps us to save some money, and saves us some time in that we won’t have to do as much grocery shopping on island (at least for a little while).  Also, we aren’t competing with the local residents for the limited supplies.

So we make a Costco run to get some canned goods, dry goods and paper products.  We have limited freezer space, but we bought some meat to freeze.  Fresh fruits, and veggies we will have to buy along the way.

Once the shopping is done, then we have to store everything.  We find every space available to stuff things from cabinets to bilges!  One practice, we are doing for now, is to remove as much as possible, card board and glued paper packaging  from the boat. This means removing the labels from cans. We’ve read glued-on labels and cardboard is how bug infestation can start.

labels removed

This is a very debated subject, as I discovered when I posted a question to a social media page that focuses on cooking on boats.  I got a lot of responses. 82 comments. Some adamant that you should remove the labels and the glue, and wash the cans.  Some telling me that was a “foolish” waste of time. Basically it comes down to personal preference.

Cans stowed beneath settee.

So I marked the cans with contents and date of purchase and peeled the labels off.  Because it make me feel better.